# Google street view - real time or what? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 4, 2009, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-street-view-real-time-or-what/491925 "2009-04-04T00:21:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sycorax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a4c791/32.png) [@Sycorax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sycorax)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2009, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-street-view-real-time-or-what/491925/1 "2009-04-04T00:21:22Z")
Since finding out about Google’s street view (maps), I’ve been playing around with it. I just tried an area near home. In reality, it’s dark outside, but the Google street view was, apparently, in daylight, and very few cars in sight at a place that normally is very busy at this time. Also, I did a search on my home address and got a big black block of nothing. Any hints for using this feature? ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2009, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-street-view-real-time-or-what/491925/2 "2009-04-04T00:27:41Z")
They drive a van around the US & take photos. Any given street will be visited about once every 5-10 _years_. They are starting with the bigger cities & tourist destinations and slowly expanding out into the burbs. Barely 10% of the non-rural US has been shot yet. They’ll probably never get to Nowheresville, AL ---
**Author:** ![Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Man_With_a_Cat)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2009, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-street-view-real-time-or-what/491925/3 "2009-04-04T01:16:09Z")
In an ironically well-timed coincidence, [this](http://www.informationweek.com/news/internet/google/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=216402758&subSection=Privacy) was in the news today. ---
**Author:** ![Absolute](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b2d939/32.png) [@Absolute](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Absolute)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2009, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-street-view-real-time-or-what/491925/4 "2009-04-04T03:53:45Z")
The overhead satellite views are not live, either. ---
**Author:** ![Alex\_Dubinsky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dbc845/32.png) [@Alex\_Dubinsky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alex_Dubinsky)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2009, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-street-view-real-time-or-what/491925/5 "2009-04-04T04:45:45Z")
> [@Mr Bus Guy](#): > > In an ironically well-timed coincidence, [this](http://www.informationweek.com/news/internet/google/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=216402758&subSection=Privacy) was in the news today. > [@](#): > > Last month, Google had to deal with sensationalistic accusations that its Street View images included a photo of a naked toddler Only in Britain would a naked toddler cause a sensation. ---
**Author:** ![HorseloverFat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8e8cbc/32.png) [@HorseloverFat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HorseloverFat)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2009, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-street-view-real-time-or-what/491925/6 "2009-04-04T04:54:13Z")
No, its absolutely not realtime. If it was, that would mean a camera would be pointing at every street at the US. Also, those ‘satellite’ photos arent from satellites. Theyre aerial photos from planes mostly. The resolution from a satellite is pretty low. Theyre also several years out of date. ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2009, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-street-view-real-time-or-what/491925/7 "2009-04-04T04:58:28Z")
> [@Alex\_Dubinsky](#): > > Only in Britain would a naked toddler cause a sensation. Indeed. After reading the article the conclusion I get is that the UK has its fair share of idiots, and maybe more. ---
**Author:** ![Fake\_Tales\_of\_San\_Francisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8491ac/32.png) [@Fake\_Tales\_of\_San\_Francisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fake_Tales_of_San_Francisco)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2009, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-street-view-real-time-or-what/491925/8 "2009-04-04T05:01:45Z")
> [@Alex\_Dubinsky](#): > > Only in Britain would a naked toddler cause a sensation. What is special about Britain that would make this a sensation? It was just a small village. ---
**Author:** ![PatriotGrrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9dc877/32.png) [@PatriotGrrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotGrrrl)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2009, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-street-view-real-time-or-what/491925/9 "2009-04-04T06:14:23Z")
> [@HorseloverFat](#): > > Also, those ‘satellite’ photos arent from satellites. Theyre aerial photos from planes mostly. The resolution from a satellite is pretty low. Theyre also several years out of date. They’re not _all_ that old. I’ve seen some of areas I’m familiar with that showed construction that was only a few months old. ---
**Author:** ![Santo\_Rugger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Santo\_Rugger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santo_Rugger)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2009, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-street-view-real-time-or-what/491925/10 "2009-04-04T06:45:24Z")
> [@PatriotGrrrl](#): > > They’re not _all_ that old. I’ve seen some of areas I’m familiar with that showed construction that was only a few months old. **Horseloverfat** meant, presumably, on average. You’ve got a few month old construction showing up near you, there’s a couple year old construction not showing up near me. But, since you mention it… > [@LSLGuy](#): > > They drive a van around the US & take photos. Any given street will be visited about once every 5-10 _years_. > > They are starting with the bigger cities & tourist destinations and slowly expanding out into the burbs. Barely 10% of the non-rural US has been shot yet. …cite? ---
**Author:** ![Rayne\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@Rayne\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rayne_Man)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2009, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-street-view-real-time-or-what/491925/11 "2009-04-04T06:56:30Z")
Regarding that British story, several TV stations have now descended on the village and we are seeing pictures (on prime-time TV) of the residents of the village being interviewed standing in front of the very houses they don’t want to appear on Street View. They don’t get the irony do they? ---
**Author:** ![tim314](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim314/32/3468_2.png) [@tim314](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim314)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2009, 8:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-street-view-real-time-or-what/491925/12 "2009-04-04T08:31:45Z")
If you look out the window and don’t see some guy with a camera, it’s a safe bet that Google’s image of your street isn’t current. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2009, 8:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-street-view-real-time-or-what/491925/13 "2009-04-04T08:45:53Z")
Even if there is a guy with a camera, it might not be Google. You might want to draw the blinds just to be safe. ---
**Author:** ![tim314](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim314/32/3468_2.png) [@tim314](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim314)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2009, 9:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-street-view-real-time-or-what/491925/14 "2009-04-04T09:18:22Z")
Good point. ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2009, 9:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-street-view-real-time-or-what/491925/15 "2009-04-04T09:20:30Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally Posted by LSLGuy > > They are starting with the bigger cities & tourist destinations and slowly expanding out into the burbs. Barely 10% of the non-rural US has been shot yet. > [@Santo\_Rugger](#): > > cite? Cite what? Do you question the information? why? It seems quite plausible and reasonable to me. What is the purpose of rudely saying “cite?” other than to be rude? The information of what’s covered by street view is not exactly secret. If you have some question why don’t you ask it clearly? [Google Street View - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Street_View) ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2009, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-street-view-real-time-or-what/491925/16 "2009-04-04T15:00:54Z")
> [@sailor](#): > > Cite what? Do you question the information? why? It seems quite plausible and reasonable to me. What is the purpose of rudely saying “cite?” other than to be rude? > > The information of what’s covered by street view is not exactly secret. If you have some question why don’t you ask it clearly? > > [Google Street View - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Street_View) From your own cite: > [@](#): > > On December 9, 2008, extensive coverage of the United States was added. This included full coverage of all large and most medium-sized urban areas and most major highways and connecting arteries throughout the 48 contiguous states. > > On March 18, 2009, extensive coverage of the United States was added including most of the coverage of Delaware, North Dakota, Rhode Island, and South Dakota. Interestingly enough, some coverage was deleted (such as in northern Minnesota.) The statement that “Barely 10% of the non-rural US has been shot yet.” is clearly wrong. That’s exactly what a good “cite?” is for. I guess the question is, why didn’t you read your own cite? ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2009, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-street-view-real-time-or-what/491925/17 "2009-04-04T15:31:42Z")
It’s amusing to find temporal changes even within a street at times. I was traveling up Broadway in NY when suddenly the view changed to a night-time one (bright lights, different traffic), then a couple of stages later it switched back to daylight, with the same traffic as before. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2009, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-street-view-real-time-or-what/491925/18 "2009-04-04T15:47:35Z")
This is perfect place to put up [a video](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPgV6-gnQaE) showing what real-time street view might be like. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Great\_Philosopher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3ec8ea/32.png) [@The\_Great\_Philosopher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Great_Philosopher)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2009, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-street-view-real-time-or-what/491925/19 "2009-04-04T15:55:11Z")
> [@sailor](#): > > Indeed. After reading the article the conclusion I get is that the UK has its fair share of idiots, and maybe more. We certainly do - there’s been a lot of fuss made over the Google images thing, although the people who are against it often sound like they’re scrabbling to justify why. The main reason I’ve heard, which is quoted in that article, is that it ‘helps burglars’ because they can scope out houses online. As if they couldn’t do that from the _public_ road anyway! And a fair number of people complain because they think it’s a set of live, real-time surveillance cameras recording them. ---
**Author:** ![Rayne\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@Rayne\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rayne_Man)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2009, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-street-view-real-time-or-what/491925/20 "2009-04-04T16:01:54Z")
> [@The\_Great\_Philosopher](#): > > We certainly do - there’s been a lot of fuss made over the Google images thing, although the people who are against it often sound like they’re scrabbling to justify why. The main reason I’ve heard, which is quoted in that article, is that it ‘helps burglars’ because they can scope out houses online. As if they couldn’t do that from the _public_ road anyway! And a fair number of people complain because they think it’s a set of live, real-time surveillance cameras recording them. Also most burglaries take place via the rear of a house, something which isn’t shown on Street View. These idiots think that there is a band of hi-tech burglars who are scanning the net to planning their next job. In reality most of these crimes are spur of the minute jobs, mainly carried out by a drug addict trying to find enough money for his next fix, and usually through an unlocked door or open window. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-street-view-real-time-or-what/491925.md?page=2)